Boomkat (UK)

The solo project of Keiichi Sugimoto of Minamo, Fourcolor is his chance to explore a more minimal, pensive sound. As Pleat is Sugimoto’s third album, and follows its well-received predecessors with a bubbling stream of choppy DSP and haunting, nostalgic instrumental samples. As with many recent 12K releases, the guitar is at the center of the album, but Sugimoto expertly manipulates these peculiar strings almost beyond recognition, making them chime, drone, buzz and sing. Rhythms fizz and erupt from a soupy slop of ambience, occasionally bringing to mind Alva Noto if he’d thought about collaborating with Robin Guthrie instead of with Ryuichi Sakamoto. The very essence of dream pop is at the center of As Pleat and feels like its guiding force; from the bliss-inducing harmonies down to the prickly percussion it feels like Sugimoto has a mind set on giving his music that downy warmth that only dream pop can. While this tendency is far more hidden than would usually be the case from others working in the genre, underneath the Max/MSP hiccups and layers of effects is the same rich compositional element and the same glow we know and love. I think when it comes down to it that is exactly why people keep coming back to Fourcolor, and when he introduces Moskitoo’s silken vocals it seems like all could be right with the world. Gorgeous stuff.